Thomas Phillips Facts for Kids

Self-portrait (1820s)

Thomas Phillips (born October 18, 1770 – died April 20, 1845) was a very important English artist. He was known for painting portraits of famous people and also for his other paintings. He painted many of the most important people of his time, including scientists, artists, writers, poets, and explorers.

Who Was Thomas Phillips?
Later Life and Family
Gallery
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Who Was Thomas Phillips?

Thomas Phillips was born in a town called Dudley, which was in Worcestershire at the time. He first learned how to paint on glass in Birmingham from an artist named Francis Eginton.

Early Career in London

In 1790, Thomas Phillips moved to London. He got a job helping to paint the beautiful glass windows at St George's Chapel in Windsor. In 1791, he became a student at the Royal Academy, a famous art school.

He started showing his paintings at the Royal Academy's exhibitions. In 1792, he showed a painting of Windsor Castle. Over the next few years, he exhibited other works, including historical scenes and pictures based on stories.

Becoming a Portrait Painter

After 1796, Thomas Phillips decided to focus mainly on painting portraits. This was a very popular type of painting, and many other artists were also doing it. From 1796 to 1800, most of the paintings he showed were portraits of people, though many of them were not famous at the time.

In 1804, he was chosen to be an associate member of the Royal Academy. Around the same time, he moved to a new home and studio at 8 George Street in Hanover Square, London. He lived there for the rest of his life.

Royal Academy and Famous Portraits

Thomas Phillips became a full member of the Royal Academy in 1808. For this, he presented his painting "Venus and Adonis." This was one of his best paintings that wasn't a portrait.

He became more and more popular. In 1806, he painted the Prince of Wales (who later became King George IV) and other important people. In 1807, he painted a well-known portrait of the poet and artist William Blake. This painting is now in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

His paintings shown at the Royal Academy in 1809 included a portrait of Sir Joseph Banks, a famous scientist. In 1814, he showed two portraits of the famous poet Lord Byron. He also painted Sir Francis Chantrey, a sculptor, in 1818, and the poet George Crabbe in 1819.

Professor and Traveler

In 1825, Thomas Phillips was chosen to be a professor of painting at the Royal Academy. To prepare for this important role, he traveled to Italy and Rome. He went with another artist, William Hilton, and met Sir David Wilkie in Florence.

He stopped being a professor in 1832. In 1833, he published a book called "Lectures on the History and Principles of Painting," which shared his knowledge about art.

More Famous People He Painted

Thomas Phillips painted many other important figures. These included writers like Walter Scott, Robert Southey, Thomas Campbell (poet), and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He also painted scientists like Joseph Henry Green, Mary Somerville, Sir Humphry Davy, Michael Faraday, and John Dalton.

He even painted a portrait of Napoleon I in Paris in 1802. He didn't get to sit with Napoleon, but Napoleon's wife, Empress Josephine, allowed Phillips to watch him during dinner to capture his likeness.

One of his last paintings was a self-portrait, which he showed in 1844.

Other Contributions

Besides painting, Phillips wrote many essays about art. He also wrote a special story about the artist William Hogarth. He was a member of important groups like the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries. He also helped start the Artists' General Benevolent Institution, which helps artists in need.

Later Life and Family

Thomas Phillips passed away on April 20, 1845, at his home in London. He was buried in the burial-ground of St. John's Wood chapel.

He was married to Elizabeth Fraser. They had two daughters and two sons. His younger son, Henry Wyndham Phillips, also became a portrait painter. He was also a captain in the Artists' volunteer corps.

One of Thomas Phillips's students was an artist and illustrator named John William Wright.